Best Neighborhood Restaurant

Biggie's

Even when Biggie's is packed — which is just about every day at lunch or dinner — you'll see a fair number of empty seats at this Lindenwood Park institution. That's because patrons are constantly spotting old friends, classmates, coworkers, bowling teammates and nearly any other connection you can imagine and heading over to their table to say hello. The phenomenon isn't surprising once you study the photographs that cover Biggie's walls. Oh, sure, there are plenty of pictures of the Cards, Rams and Blues — this is a St. Louis joint, after all — but there are just as many of family, friends and the amateur teams Biggie's has sponsored over the years. Combine that with a menu that offers something for everybody — pizza, sandwiches (including one of the best veal parms around), pasta — and Biggie's isn't merely a great neighborhood restaurant but its own neighborhood, a place where anyone can feel a part of the community.